Nearly 750 people from Eindhoven acquired Dutch nationality this year. On Monday, this was celebrated with the new Dutch people and family members.
Every year this legalisation is formalised during a special naturalisation ceremony on or around Koninkrijksdag (Kingdom Day). Kingdom Day is the commemoration of the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 15 December 1954.
Of these new Dutch citizens, the oldest is 80, and the youngest just turned one year old. These people come from more than 75 different countries. Most of them are from Syria, India, and Turkey. But Iran, the United Kingdom, Somalia, China, Iraq, and Russia are on the top 10 list of countries of origin too. The relatively large number of people from the United Kingdom is possibly due to the Brexit, according to the Municipality.
Two way to get citizenship
There are two ways to apply for Dutch nationality. One is naturalisation. For this, people have to live in the Netherlands for at least five years. Or they must have been married to a Dutch partner for three years. An integration diploma must also have been obtained.
People can acquire nationality through an ‘option’. This concerns people who were born and raised here, or have lived here for at least 15 years and are over 65 years of age. Or they have been married to a Dutch partner for more than three years.
In both these cases, people must also not have been given lengthy prison sentences.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translator: Chaitali Sengupta, who gives Dutch lessons in Meerhoven. Click here for more info.
Editor: Melinda Walraven
